The Forgotten Dreamer
by Lady-of-Lothindrale
Summary: The more Jareth gets to know Kristae, the more connections he makes with her to his dream. Is Hoggle's suspicions of her correct, or is Jareth doing the right thing in getting to know her better?
1. Chapter 1 Deep Confusion

**_Prologue_ **

A slight view of the evening sunset was still peeking through the earth's horizon as he went to go sit down on the large, cool rock. The stars were beginning to peek through the midnight-colored ocean, as the night was beginning to arise. The sound of crickets sang through the night. He looked over at the girl. Though they had just met, he felt as though he knew her for years. She was about his age, maybe a few years older, but that didn't matter to him. For tonight was going to be a special night, just for her.

He looked over at her with a gentle smile on his face. He waved at her, his eyes seeming to glow back at her. They were as unique as he was. The right one was a pale blue; the left was a dark green. The top of his hair was spiked, while the bottom hung loose. Yet, the two styles seemed to blend together into a distinctive hairstyle. He wore a white silk-blouse that had the ends of each sleeve hanging with strands of loose silk-material. The collar of it went down into a v-shape with loose material at the edge. His black leather jacket lay next to him. His tunic pants were black, made to match his jacket, while he wore long black boots over them.

She wore a soft-white dress, the sleeves long; they almost touched the ground. Her dress was ankle length. She wore a silver necklace, which carried a large multi-colored jewel. It had a woman's face made of fine white-gold, while the eyes were made of a red jewel that glowed bright even in the evening atmosphere. There were hands that went around the outside that centered underneath the face. They held a jewel that had a beauty that surpassed the mind. It sometimes would glow brighter than eyes can withstand, but right now it was dim. The chain that held it was made of fine silver yet had a slight gold tint to it. It showed it's age, which brought out its immense beauty. Her hair of white brought out her beauty, and made her glow in the peeking moonlight.

She was now looking over the edge of the cliff; the waves of the kingdom were now dancing on the rocks below. The water was clear enough to have the stars painted on its glossy surface. A smile spread across her face as she looked down and giggled at the site below.

"Jareth," she called, "you have to come and see this and tell me what you see!"

He got up and walked over, standing next to her. He looked down below and smiled.

"It just looks like the ocean on the shoreline," he replied. "Not really anything special."

She looked at him with sad eyes, which now were glossy from tears.

"Then, you're not ready," she answered, sadly.

"What do you mean," he asked, as his head shot over with him now looking at her.

"I cannot say until you're ready," she softly spoke.

She went over to the cliff's edge looking down below.

"Wha-what are you doing," he staggered panic beginning to creep in.

"If I fell, would you catch me?" she asked, still looking down.

"I don't know," he replied. "Aristae please don't!"

She looked over at him with her eyes now empty.

"Until you are ready," she said, trailing off.

She walked off the edge, disappearing.

"No," he shouted at the top of his lungs.

The cliff faded, turning into blackness.

* * *

**_Chapter 1_**

Jareth shot up in his bed, cold sweat dripped down his face. His breathing was deep, leaving him short of breath. He flipped the covers off of himself, as he got out of bed. He looked over at the clock on the wall.

"13-o'clock," he whispered aloud to himself. Some of the goblins were asleep, gathered around his bed. A few were asleep on the edge of his bed. He strategically moved around the goblins in the dark, heading towards the door. He opened it quietly, its hinges creaking. He walked into the hall and carefully closed the door behind him. The halls echoed with the faint breathing of the rest of the goblins. He began heading towards his main bathroom, the door left open.

As he walked in, the movement sensor of his light triggered it to go on dim. He walked over to the sink and turned on the water, splashing the cool liquid over his face. He turned it off and grabbed the towel next to it, wiping his face. He looked at his reflection in the mirror.

"It was only a dream," he said aloud. "Don't let it get to you, boy."

He threw the towel in the sink and walked out, the light turning off automatically behind him.

He headed back towards his room, carefully opening the door. He walked in and closed it behind him. The curtains leading to his door-less, open balcony gently danced in the small wind. He headed onto it and sat in the chair near one of the edges. He put his feet up and looked up at the sky.

His mind kept going to the dream. She always looked the same. She looked so familiar to him. He felt as though he really knew her, yet knew that it was impossible.

"Her name," he whispered, "it sounds so familiar. Yet, how do I find out why? How will I ever know?"

One of the goblins let out a loud snore. Jareth looked back and chuckled at him. He was one of the ones who were lying next to him.

"Silly little innocence," he said, poking fun at the small goblin. "Too bad you don't know how to help."

He stood up and went back to bed. He pulled the covers back, got in, and covered himself with them.

"Maybe morning will bring my mind peace," he softly whispered to himself, as sleep slowly enveloped him.

_This is one of my first attempts at a romance. I hope you like it! Please leave a review and keep it appropriate! Enjoy!

* * *

_


	2. Chapter 2 A Simple Girl?

_**Chapter 2 **__**–**__ A Simple Girl?_

Jareth sat in his tall, black throne, which was covered in many carvings of the goblins in the kingdom. Each was small and simple, but full of memories. They were carved on a black-cherry wood that the back was made out of. The seat was made of tarnished mythril while the armrests were made of a white Kurish, a rare, white goblin metal that matched with the mythril.

The goblins were playing around the room, some singing random songs that they made up, some laughing while others were playing tag or wrestling with each other. Jareth was sitting with one leg drooped over the side of the chair while the other hung down the front of it. He was leaning back against the corner where his back met the chair. He rested his head on his hand lazily, while he looked off in the distance, thinking.

"Daddy," asked one of the younger goblins, as he came up to Jareth. He stopped at the bottom of the throne and looked up at the Goblin King. Jareth seemed to ignore him, while he was lost in his train of thoughts. "Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy!!!!"

Jareth jumped slightly, being startled at the little goblin that had now given up on calling him, and climbed up his throne, jumping into his lap. "Oh, hello there little one!" he said, startled at the goblin. "What brings you to…my lap?"

"I wanna hear a story," the little goblin, one of the younger ones of the kingdom, shouted at the top of his lungs. "Tell me the one about the Princess in white!"

"Princess in white," Jareth spoke, curiously. "What princess in white? What are you talking about?"

"The one you were mumbling about in your sleep last night," He said, his arms now folded as he gave him a pout-face. "You said you knew her and were shouting her name. I wanna meet her!"

Jareth's eyes shot open-wide, as he took in a deep breath. He couldn't help but jump up and get filled- with anger and rage, as he now felt like he was put on the spot. The small goblin plopped down on the ground just in front of him. "What are you doing listening to me in my sleep?!" He shouted, at the top of his lungs.

The little goblin couldn't help but look at him with shock and a tear-filled face. His pout quickly changed to a look of hurt and confusion at the angry goblin-king. "I-I-I…" He trailed off, unsure of what to say. He looked around at the others as if they would give him an answer. Quickly he looked back at the goblin king. "I was just…curious…I didn't mean to do it! I'm sorry!" He hurriedly ran over to him and hugged his legs. He only came up to his knees, which was as tall as he went. He was now crying and refusing to let go.

Jareth's eyes shot open wide, confused at his reaction and slightly red from all the other goblins who were now looking at him in shock. "It's alright," he spoke, as he bent over and picked up the little goblin. He was trying not to hurt him, but trying to get him off at the same time. "Come, here. Let go of me!"

-----------------------------

A large, brown goblin stood at a tall, stone gate, its metal was old and worn, yet still worked strong. He had a spear next to him, and his helmet under his left arm. He wiped some sweat from his brow with his other hand, after taking off his somewhat heavy silver-gauntlet. He mumbled something in Goblin meaning "Cursed heat!" as he put his helmet and gauntlet back on. He picked back up his spear and looked next to him at the other goblin, who was taking a small nap. "Hey! Wake up!" He shouted at him, in goblin. "Quit nodding off, lazy bones!"

The other goblin who was kind of stick-like, yet still somewhat large, shot up and picked up his axe which was next to him. He raised it menacingly. "Chaaaaarge!! I shall attack all who decide to…" he trailed off, realizing that no one was there. He looked around, making sure no one else saw what had just happened, catching the other goblin that was glaring at him, seeming to drill into his eyes through his armor and into his heart. He jumped back a bit, making his armor cling against itself. "Um…hi?" He lifted up his ventail, a part of his helmet that slid up and down the visor of his helmet. A small wave escaped his hand.

"What do you think you are doing," the first goblin scolded, very loudly. "If the king saw you, do you know what he would do to us? He would not only skin us alive, but we would be put out on duty at the city-dump again! That's next to the bog! Do you know what that place smells like!?"

"Well, I was just…" he trailed off, trying to muster up some sort of excuse for his dozing off.

The other goblin's look shot to the front of them, his hand sticking up to silence the other goblin. "Shhh!! Someone's coming this way!" They both stood up straight, acting like they had been doing as such since first getting there. The second goblin's ventail slid back down, clinging and making him jump, startled at its loud noise. He looked over at the other goblin that was glaring at him, making him quickly jump back to his previous position.

A large, black carriage approached from a distance along an aged-stone path. It was pulled by two graceful looking quarter horses, one a silver-gray, the other a brilliant chestnut color. Both were garnished with black blinders and other normal tack for carriage horses. Upon closer inspection, one would notice the carriage to be made of walnut. It pulled up to the black, iron-gate, the coachman gently pulling on the reigns to stop the horses. A tired nicker escaped from each of the horses' mouths as they looked at the new scenery around them.

"Halt," the stick-like goblin shouted, this time speaking in broken-English, while acting like he knew what he was doing. His axe glimmered in the beaming sunlight. "What business you here?" The first goblin couldn't help but smack his helmet with his hand, as if he were trying to knock himself out to put himself out of his own misery.

"The Empress of Aldakria wishes to make her acquaintance with his majesty Jareth of the Underground Kingdom," the Coachman formally announced, looking straight ahead as if the gates would open simply from him speaking.

"The Empress of wha-," the stick-like goblin spoke in his native tongue, confused while he looked up at the coachman. His head tipped slightly to one side. The coachman looked down at the little goblin, even more confused from him speaking in the strange goblin tongue. He looked at the larger goblin, expecting a translation from him.

"Ignore that simple-minded idiot," the large goblin spoke in a simplistic form of English, yet he was still easy to understand. He waved a hand at the other goblin in disgust. He lifted his ventail so it rested on the top of his head. He locked it into place. "His-majesty is expecting you. I shall let the other guards know so they will let you pass through." He looked at the other goblin, giving him a look as if he were saying, "try not to make an idiot of yourself," as he walked through the door that was a few feet away from him at the edge of another gate.

The coachman looked down at the stick-like goblin, confused at him. The goblin, matching his gaze, jumped a bit, seeming intimidated by the coachman. His gaze softened. He stood straight and tall while looking ahead, as if he were trying to act like he was doing his duty. A few moments later, a loud bang was heard, following the gate opening from the middle in the opposite direction of the carriage. Its old, metal hinges creaked loudly, as it swung open slowly, but steadily. The remaining goblin by the gate moved out of the way after saying in broken-English, "Pass you may through!"

The other goblin threw a stone at his head just out of the coachman's view, hoping it would knock him unconscious.

----------------------------

Jareth was now holding the small goblin, which he had now managed to calm down by giving him one of his famous peaches he grew out in his orchard in the gardens. The goblin had only taken one bite out of it and was more sucking on it, rather then actually eating on it, with a bunch of smacks slipping out of his mouth as he happily licked the peach as well. A slight purr, somewhat resembling a cat except it was much softer and quieter, escaped the little goblin, now forgetting all about the fight he had earlier.

One of the guards came rushing up to Jareth, bowing before he approached the goblin king, and kneeling in front of him. "Your highness," He shouted, in a low, musky voice, and speaking in the native goblin tongue. His long, white beard fell just before his steps which he made sure to carefully not step on.

"Yes," Jareth asked in goblin in a bored tone, now looking down at large goblin, which was on the bottom of the steps that led up to where he was sitting. "What do you want?"

"There's someone here to see you," he began, in an excited voice. Since visitors were quite rare in the Labyrinth anymore, anyone who showed up was exciting news. The other goblins started whispering excitedly amongst each other. "I think it's some sort of royal person from Aldak-dondia or something like that!"

"The Empress of Aldakria is here," Jareth shouted with excitement, jumping up and forgetting about the little goblin that was sitting in his lap. The goblin slipped and bounced down the stairs to the bottom, spinning around as he landed, making a little squeaking noise as he landed on each step, and dropping the peach next to him at the bottom. Everyone quit what they were doing and looked over at the Goblin king, while all went silent in the room "Quick, clean this place up!"

The little goblin frantically grabbed his peach as he quickly ran off, placing it in his pocket, and helping the rest of the goblins prepare for the Empress' arrival. They all rushed as quickly as they could, while chickens flew everywhere, some jumping out the window and others jumping into each other. Some goblins were sliding across the floor as they worked, some running into each other in their somewhat frantic business.

"Get these stupid chickens out of here," yelled a now very stressed out Jareth. He was helping them fix the place up as best as he could as well, grabbing chickens and throwing them out or picking up feathers that was scattered over the floor..

"Y-yes, your Highness…"answered a very startled and scared little goblin. It grabbed a whistle and blew it, making any animal in the room run out and leave the area. "All's done!"

"Good, now send her in, and no monkey business," he yelled, looking at each of the goblins who were known for their occasional trouble making. He stuffed the feathers he had down a nearby goblin's armor. "It's vital we get her to sign a treaty with us. Her kingdom is one of the most powerful around us, and it would be very useful if we were to join sides with them."

The other goblins nodded, all knowing the importance of this meeting. They all gathered in two formal lines along the path that led to Jareth's throne, some on one side, and some on the other, each side even making it look impressive to an outsider. Jareth looked at the large goblin that came in announcing the princess.

"Let her in," he said, looking at the large goblin. "And try not to scare her off!"

"Yes, you're Majesty," he stated, bowing as he turned around and ran out.

A few moments later, a small, plump dwarf came running in, puffing as he was deeply out of breath. "I'm here, your majesty," started a very tired and worn out dwarf. "Sorry about being so late, the chickens landed in the gardens again and I had to move around them so that they wouldn't peck me."

"Glad you finally decided to join us, Hogwart," Jareth spoke, teasing him.

The dwarf grumbled a little bit at Jareth's teasing, which didn't bother him much unless it was regarding his name. "It's Hoggle," the dwarf shouted, annoyed at the goblin king. "Won't you ever get it right?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Jareth said, ignoring the dwarf's comments. Jareth teasing Hoggle about his name was more of a small ritual between the two of them. "Just take a seat. The empress is here."

"Oh," said Hoggle, now seeming to brighten up. A smile escaped his face. "That's great to hear! I hope she signs with us!" He sat down in a small chair specially built for him next to Jareth. He grabbed all the papers sitting in a clipboard that was in a pocket on the side of it.

"Where's the contract," Jareth asked Hoggle, seeming to get a bit impatient with him now.

"The what," Hoggle questioned, thinking while being lost in his train of concentration. "Oh yeah!" he got up and went to one of the side rooms, while Jareth put his face in his hands in embarrassment of the small dwarf's behavior.

"Can't you do anything right, Hedgewart," Jareth asked, annoyed at him.

Hoggle grumbled again and came out of the room a few moments later, contract in hand. "It's Hoggle," he shouted, angry with the king. "And I've got it right here!"

"Good," Jareth went on, not phased about the dwarf. He looked up and saw the large goblin from before standing before him. "Um…what are you doing here!?"

"The empress is here," he spoke, triumphantly and happily.

"Yes, I know that, Bafoon," Jareth shouted, annoyed. "Where is she!?"

"She's um," he began looking behind him, confused. He turned around full-circle before facing Jareth again. "She's uh…well, she was right here…"

"You lost the empress," Jareth yelled in disbelief. "How could you lose her!? I can't believe what imbeciles I'm working with!" He threw his hands in the air and got up, walking forward to the bottom of the stairs. "Find her, and escort her to THIS thrown room! And don't lose her this time! Everyone look for her. This does not look good on us at all!"

It was at that moment that the goblins were either gasping or trying hard not to laugh at the king. He looked around at them confused, completely lost at the situation. He saw one of the goblins point behind him, and he turned and looked. Right beside his thrown was the empress, who was looking at his thrown and admiring the carvings all over it. She was wearing what looked to be a long, lavender dress, the sleeves dripping down her arms in a bell shape. Her long, white hair was tied back in a half-up bun, with light-purple flowers decorating it. She wore matching earrings. Her light, sky-blue eyes were looking at the thrown, tracing the designs on it.

"What a beautiful throne you have, Mr. King," she complimented, tracing her fingers over the bumps and carving marks over it. "The artwork is simply gorgeous!"

Jareth's jaw dropped in shock at what he saw. It was the woman from his dream, only she wasn't wearing the necklace he saw her wearing. He looked down at his own, which was the same design, except his was gold and had many more jewels to it, making it more beautiful to the eye. He looked back up at her, as she was now walking towards him.

"Th-thank you," he said, confused and shocked at what he was seeing.

"I apologize for disappearing on your guard," she started, now standing next to him, "and for making you so upset. I just saw your throne and couldn't help but want to check it out."

Jareth still looked at her, bewildered at what he was seeing. Does she have the answers to the dream? Could she help him figure out what was going on with him for so many years?

"Are you alright," she asked, looking at him confused.

Jareth quickly shook his head, now coming back to his senses.

"Yes, I'm fine," he answered, smiling and looking at her slightly curious. "And don't worry about it. It's fine."

"Oh, good," she said, with a sigh of relief. "I would have hated to get off on the wrong foot."

"Really it's no trouble at all," He reinstated, motioning her to take a seat in his throne.

She walked over and plopped in his chair, putting one leg over the side. Her outfit draped down revealing that her dress was in fact a pair of pants made to look like a dress when she was standing up. Her light-silver sandals etched around her delicate foot, and had matching purple and white gems that adorned them. Her nails were painted a light-purple and had a deep-purple rose design drawn in the center of them.

Jareth looked at the girl, slightly confused. He was used to less laid-back people who took things more formally, but she was definitely different. A few of the goblins, as well as Hoggle, looked at her, slightly annoyed at her for not taking things so seriously, but Jareth didn't care. He actually found it helpful in controlling his nerves for the delicate matter they were addressing. He took a seat in the smaller throne next to it.

"Well," Jareth began, "shall we get started?"

"Oh, yeah," she exclaimed, sitting up and clapping her hands, which made two of her servants come walking into the room, each carrying a chest which was a little heavy for them. They set them down on the stairs in front of the steps, and they turned around and walked back out, after bowing respectfully to the two royal members. "These are gifts for you from my father. He insisted I bring a little something to show you our appreciation for taking interest in our kingdom."

Jareth motioned for a few of the goblins to open them, and they obeyed. Two hopped on top, and two hopped in front. They lifted the front and the lids popped open by themselves, sending the two goblins on top flying right into a wall.

"Oh no," she shouted in horror, "Are they alright!?"

The two goblins got up, laughing and running back to their positions, seeming to take a lot of enjoyment out of their ride.

"Don't worry," Jareth laughed, amused at the goblins careless fun. "They enjoy being thrown like that!"

The other two goblins hopped on top of the other lid, and pushed the button, each flying into a wall as well. They let out a scream of enjoyment, and then laughed as they themselves went running back to their spots. More goblins started to jump up and down in excitement, each wanting to take a turn with their new-found toys.

"Relax," Jareth ordered, "You'll all get your turn eventually." He looked over at the chests which were now both open. "Wow! You call this little!?"

"Of course," she began explaining, "Where I come from these are rather common. I thought they were too informal to bring, but Papa insisted that these were what I should bring."

Jareth looked at the goblins in the two rows in front of him. "Bring these to the treasury," he ordered, trying to hide the bewilderment from his voice, "and no playing with them. These are gifts, you know."

Some of the goblins went up, closing the lid, and picked them up. They each carried them off and out the doors ahead of them. Jareth looked over at the empress next to him.

"You know," started Jareth, "You never told me your name."

"Oh," began the Empress, "How silly and rude of me. I'm Karistae, but most people call me Kristae."

Jareth looked over at Kristae, with a look of surprise on his face. It reminded him of his dream again. He shot the memory of it through his mind. Her standing there at the edge of the cliff, it made him worry a bit about what was to come of them meeting. Her eyes were what captured him the most. They had a hint of sadness to them, but they had something in them that made him want to get to know her better. They captured him on the inside, making him curious as to what they hid behind their glossy surface.

"Nice to meet you formally," Jareth began, quickly bringing himself back to reality. "I'm Jareth."

"Well," started Kristae, "It's an honor to meet you." She put out a hand, offering him to shake hands, which was informal for women in Jareth's culture. He nonetheless took it and shook it, wondering where she managed to get her personality. "Shall we get started on that contract Papa told me you had made?"

"Oh yes," confirmed Jareth, "the contract!" He motioned for Hoggle to come over with it, who did as such. Hoggle opened it and placed it on a table that some of the other goblins had just brought over.

_I apologize for taking so long to get this next chapter up, aside from forgetting about it for a bit of time, I've had a lot of antics show up that have made it very difficult for me to write (internet going out for awhile, moving to a new state, starting work, etc). I promise it won't take me nearly as much time as this did to get my next chapter up. Thanks for being so patient! I hope you've enjoyed this!_


	3. Chapter 3 Getting to Know You

_**Chapter 3**_ _Getting to Know You_

Hoggle paced around the hidden room behind where Jareth and Kristae were sitting. His steps stopped every so often as he looked at the two of them sitting there talking. Not just about anything, about the goblin culture. To Hoggle, it was something only shared when trust was gained, not before. And with this stranger he wasn't too keen on giving such information out so quickly. His pacing stopped as he looked out a window and started to sigh. The sky was growing darker, and clouds were now filling the sky. He knew it could only mean one thing: The rains were coming.

"So soon…" he spoke softly aloud to himself.

He knew the rains meant the seasons were soon going to change to much warmer weather, but he wasn't quite ready for it yet. A couple years ago, when the rains came this quickly, something else happened that changed Hoggle's life- Sarah came into his life. She stole his heart, in a friendship sort of way, and made him realize there was more to his meaningless life then simply being a servant to Jareth that had no mind of his own. And the way Jareth rearranged things for her really struck him. He soon realized how Jareth felt about her, and made certain that he would do everything he could to protect her. He even led her to the safest parts of the Labyrinth to ensure that no harm came to his newfound friend. Jareth wasn't too happy about this, but he didn't care. He wasn't about to lose his only friend he ever made. Shortly after she left, Hoggle realized how much control he really had over his life, and he managed to talk Jareth into letting him become a personal advisor to him. Hoggle was very proud of his position because it meant more status and more money for him and his family.

Now the rains were coming quickly again, and he knew that it meant only one thing. That something was going to change in the Labyrinth again. And Hoggle was going to make sure that it wasn't going to be him.

------------------------------------

Thunder clapped outside, while the sky dark with rain poured heavily against the ground. Puddles of water were sitting on the ground, slowly growing as the water fell against them. Jareth and Kristae, now talking, were exchanging each others' very different cultures, not seeming to take notice of what was going on around them.

"Milady!," began the coachman, a sense of urgency behind his voice as he came running in the throne room.

"Yes, Richard, what is it?" asked Kristae, looking curiously at the very drenched servant who was dripping everywhere.

"It's the carriage, Miss. I'm afraid it's a little worse for the wear and we can't go anywhere in it at the moment."

"Oh...I see..."

"I'm so sorry your highness, the whole trip will be ruined... I'll get to fixing it as quickly as I can."

"That's not necessary," stated Jareth, raising a hand to stop him from moving.

"I beg your pardon?" questioned Kristae looking at him curiously.

"Well,"Jareth began, "the rains have come. Around here, if anyone goes out there, they'll either be washed away, or struck by lightning. And I wouldn't recommend anyone set foot out there for awhile if they want to avoid that."

"Oh..." said the coachman, his concern over the events seemed to flood his face as much as it did his voice. A look of disappointment and concern spread throughout his face.

Jareth's thoughts quickly raced as he began to think of an alternative to sending out the empress's servant to his impending doom in the rains. At last his mind came up with something.

"Why not stay here until things clear up? It would even buy you time to get your carriage fixed as well."

"Oh... Well, we wouldn't want to be a bother." answered Kristae, somewhat shyly. "It really is so short of notice."

"Nonsense! The goblins would love to fix a room for you! We don't get much visitors these days, so it would be a welcome change for them."

Hoggle grumbled a bit under his breath, glaring at the empress for her situation. He was beginning to feel like she was being more of an intruder then a guest. The goblins looked at each other, some with looks of excitement, others dreading over who would take over such duties. Sighing at the situation, Jareth prepared his next plan.

"Take the coachman to the servant's quarters to get dried up," Jareth ordered, now looking at the goblins. "And fix up the best guest suite for the empress."

The goblins bowed as they walked out, a couple going over to the coachman waiting for him to follow them. He looked at the empress confused as she nodded to him to follow. He shook his head worriedly as he followed them out the main doors, unsure of how to understand most of them who spoke with a very heavy goblin accent.

"Well," began Kristae, "this is very kind of you. I apologize for the inconvenience."

"Eh, it happens," Jareth stated. "At least this way we'll be able to finish learning about the other's life back home." Jareth's eyes shot open at his blunt comment he just made. "Well, I mean...um..."

Kristae giggled at Jareth, who was now blushing a little bit.

"Yes, I would love that!"

"Um...excuse me..." Hoggle began, interrupting the empress. "Your majesty, could I speak to you for a moment?"

"I suppose I don't have much choice..." Jareth teased, trying not to laugh at Hoggle. Hoggle had a slight glare of embarrassment hiding behind his face due to Jareth's comment.

He got up and walked out of the empress's hearing range with Hoggle. He glanced at her, as she was now tracing her fingers back over the carvings on the throne. After they were far enough away, Jareth glowered at the little dwarf. He was wondering what was so important that he had to drag him away from someone whom he was sharing a good conversation with. He hadn't done that in a long time. It was kind of nice to be able to open up to someone more then he could with the goblins. She seemed to share the same interest in his kingdom that he had when he was first sworn in as king. And, even though he only just met her, he felt like she understood him a bit better then most. Shaking the thoughts out of his mind, he put himself back to the situation at hand.

"What do you want, Hogbreath?" Jareth asked, annoyed at him.

"I'll skip the corrections this time," Hoggle stated, agitated at Jareth, but more so at what he was speaking about. "I'll just get right to the point. Are you certain you know what you're doing?"

"What?" Jareth said, shocked at the dwarf's comment. "I'm king, what do you think, Dwarf?"

Jareth speaking to him without making fun of his name meant that he needed to choose his next words carefully since he was now starting to get angry at him. Hoggle was beginning to get nervous, as sweat dripped down his face in worry at how Jareth would react to his next point.

"Well...it's just that she's an outsider, Sire. We don't know what to expect from her people yet! We've only just met them!"

Jareth smirked.

"I think I know what to expect, since that's my job."

Hoggle could only sigh, knowing that Jareth had made up his mind.

"Yes sir..." He said, trailing off. He turned and began to walk out of the room.

"And Hedgehog..."

Hoggle grumbled, resisting the temptation to correct him. He glared as he turned and faced Jareth.

"If you ever question me again, I'll make sure you wear your mistake everywhere you go. Got it?"

Hoggle nodded, as he turned and quickly ran out.

-------------

Laughter filled the halls, as Jareth walked with Kristae, who was laughing at the stories being told about the history of the castle. He was showing her around, and being less formal then normal, now that official business had been taken care of. A few of the goblins trailed behind them, excited that a visitor was taking a rare interest in their culture. The candles were lit in large, white lanterns that hung on the walls, seeming to trail on forever down long, grey walls that towered above them. The sky was still dark, and rain poured outside and dripped down the gutters which could be heard through the glass of the windows.

"And you really are their father," she asked, a smile of curiosity escaped her face.

"In a sense," Jareth began, explaining, "Anyone who becomes Goblin king takes custody of all the goblins as well. I carry similar blood to theirs, but I'm not related in that sort of way. They call me daddy as more of a sign of them accepting me as their king. I've only been king for a few hundred years, while my grandfather, who was king before me, was the only one of my family to remain married long enough to have children."

Jareth paused, shocked at himself with how easily he was letting this out. He glanced over at Kristae once in awhile, making sure he wasn't over-stepping his bounds. It had been a long time since he felt this comfortable around someone else, especially a woman. The only other he felt he could talk to like this was his sister, whom he was very close to.

"What about your own father," Kristae questioned. "Shouldn't he have been the one to be king after your grandfather?"

Jareth glared at the thought of his father.

"My father was thrown out of the kingdom for treason," Jareth said, bitterly. "As far as he's concerned, there is no Labyrinth anymore or Underground Kingdom for that matter. Only my brother, sister and I remained here in my grandfather's care."

"Oh," she began, "And where are your brother and sister now?"

Jareth stopped, pondering for a bit about the thought of his sister.

"My sister's dead," Jareth spoke, softly, while a look of sadness haunted behind his face. He quickly shook it off and hid it from all who were around him. He continued his pace down the hall. "And as for my brother, I couldn't care any less as to what's happened to him."

"I'm sorry," she apologized, bowing her head in respect. "I didn't mean to bring up a bad subject." Jareth smiled slightly, surprised that she took care in his words. Most didn't bother to.

They walked up to a set of large, black doors. Jareth grabbed the aged, golden doorknob and turned it, the door creaking as he opened it. Behind them was a very large bedroom, the ceiling towered above them. The canopy-bed was a deep, red color. The curtains around it danced in a small breeze that crept in through the open balcony. There was a vanity on one side of the room, a large, oval mirror reflected almost everything in the room. Sounds of crystals clinging against one another could be heard throughout the room, making a soft, jingling noise that echoed throughout the room. A mural of goblins was painted on one of the walls, making it look classy, yet elegant.

"This is your room," Jareth said. Looking throughout it and making sure the goblins fixed it up to his liking. The empress's luggage was neatly stacked by the closet. "If there's anything you need, just pull this cord." He showed her a long, golden rope that hung by the bed. "The servants will come immediately to your service."

"Wow, in my kingdom it takes a little more effort to get others to come so quickly." Kristae said, slightly in awe of such a little device. "Your castle is beautiful! I've never seen anything like it outside my lands."

"Would you like to see more of it?"

"Absolutely! Could I?"

"Of course! I'll even give you a personal tour, since I can't trust any of these chicken for brains imbeciles to do it right. Does tomorrow morning sound alright?"

Kristae giggled at the thought of exploring a new land.

"Sure! I haven't got anything better to do!"

"Alright. I'll meet you in the courtyard right outside."

Jareth went to the balcony area and pointed outside at the courtyard below. Kristae followed and looked, making sure not to step outside and get herself wet. As she turned to walk back, her foot slipped on the curtain that had blown in front of her steps. She tripped, and reached out to catch herself. Almost instinctively, Jareth reached over and caught her, using his balance to steady her. Their gaze met, as Kristae giggled at her clumsiness.

"Sorry...didn't mean to do that!"

Jareth stared into her eyes. She was as beautiful as she was mysterious. The scent of her rose perfume caught his nose as he caught the glow of the moonlight in her hair. He still wasn't sure what about her that intrigued him, but he couldn't help but feel like he knew her somehow. His mind couldn't help but return to his dream.

"Tell me what you see..."

The words haunted him in his memory.

"Just the ocean...not really anything special."

"Then, you're not ready..."

"Jareth..." a voice spoke to him, haunting him while he was lost in his train of thought. "Jareth? Ja-a-a-reth?"

The empress was waving her hand in front of his eyes, trying to catch his attention.

"Huh," Jareth asked, as he jumped back to reality. "What?"

"I said, would you mind letting go of me?"

Jareth looked as he still had his arms around her waist. He quickly removed them as he felt his face flush with embarrassment.

"Um...I should be going..."

He quickly turned and walked as fast as he could out of the room, turning and giving her a slight bow as he exited and closed the door behind him.

"That Jareth is a curious fellow..." Kristae said to herself quietly, as she quickly set to get herself ready for bed.

-----------------------------------

Hoggle watched as Jareth left where the empress was staying. He walked by so quickly, that he didn't take notice of who he was passing or where he was going.

"Hmph," Hoggle stated to himself, as he walked to her bedroom. He knocked on the door which towered above him making him look smaller then usual.

"Yes?" asked Kristae, inviting the dwarf in after opening the door. "Oh, hello there! Who are you?"

Hoggle looked the girl up and down, sizing her out. He forced a smile on his face as he acted like he was being polite to her. He wasn't sure what it was about her, but he didn't like her, let alone trust her.

"Name's Hoggle, and I'm just here making sure you have everything you need."

:"Oh, that's sweet of you! Yes, everything seems to be in order. Is my servants all okay?"

"Yes, they seem to be doing quite nicely in the servant's quarters."

"Oh, good!"

Kristae turned around and sat in a nearby chair, as she took a long sigh that seemed to weigh heavy on her. Hoggle used this as a perfect time to strike a conversation with her.

"Is everything alright?" He asked, keeping his tone sincere. Trust or not, he didn't like seeing a woman upset when he was around.

"Yes, everything's fine. It's just that…" Kristae trailed off, unsure of whether she could talk to the little dwarf or not. He took a seat on a smaller chair next to hers.

"What is it? Can I do anything to help?"

"Well," she began, "it's just that…back home. My father wanted me to bring a gift, but he also wanted me to bring something back in return. It's something that he heard about a few years ago, just after hearing about the Underground Kingdom."

"Ah ha!" Hoggle thought to himself, silently. "I knew something suspicious was going on with this girl!"

"I see…what was it?" he asked, looking at her curiously.

"It's this beautiful necklace that's made of pure silver. He mentioned that it was something Goblins didn't want anything to do with because it was rumored to bring a curse to anyone that found it. He figured since it was something no one here wanted, that maybe he could use it as sort of a sign of peace from the Goblins."

"Hmmm…" Hoggle, said, trailing off in his thoughts on the subject.

"I never would even think of asking such a thing, especially of some very nice people I just recently met. It's just that it means to much to him, and I don't know what to do…"

"Tell me more about this necklace. What does it look like?"

"Well, I'm not sure exactly. It's silver. Or was it gold… And it has these really beautiful gems on it that represent the natural colors of the Earth. And it supposedly was cursed by an old witch shortly after it was made. Later, it was given to a lady in the woods in hopes of bringing her to her death."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Yes, I suppose this witch had something against this lady. I don't know, like I said I don't know much about it. And it's possible that my father had it all wrong. He does tend to exaggerate things when he gets them from books."

"Actually, that necklace does sound familiar."

"Really? Do you know where it's at?"

"Well…no. But I know where you could look if you wanted to find out."

"Where!?"

"The Library in the center of the castle is the best place. We have lots of books there on all kinds of jewelry that was made in the Underground. The only thing is, you have to know how to read the ancient Goblin language."

"Oh…I don't suppose you know how?"

"Nope, I never bothered to learn the damned thing. Always was a bother to study something I didn't have to."

"Ah, well. At least I now know that it exists. Thank you for your help Mr. Hoggle. It was very kind of you to tell me."

"Sure thing, Majesty! If there's anything else you need, feel free to call!"

"Of course I will."

Hoggle got up, as he debated on asking what he wanted to know from her. He reached the door when he turned around and faced the empress. She was staring out the balcony, lost in her train of thoughts. Instead, Hoggle continued out the door, making sure to close it behind him.

"Well," he stated to himself quietly, making sure not to let anyone hear him. "Now I know what she's after. Question is, how do I find it before she does so I can hide it? That way she'll leave quicker knowing it's nowhere to be found!"

________________________________________________________________________

_I apologize for taking so long to post this! Things have been really crazy of late. Thank you to those of you that have stuck by and continued to read this. I almost have chapter 4 done, so expect that soon. And as usual, feel free to leave comments. I'm always open to suggestions on improvements._


End file.
